DirkH’s review published on Letterboxd:
Part of Dastardly Difficult December: film nr.61
Joy and pain are intricately linked in our lives. It is difficult to fully experience one without the other as, even though they are seemingly opposites, they are actually complementary, a thing this film understands really well and manages to convey in most unique and beautiful way possible. Through a simple 'What if?' story.
What if you could erase all those nasty memories? Would you do it? Would you want to get rid of people you don't like anymore, people that have hurt you? Without being pompous about it, this film tries to give answers to these questions and in doing so relates a strong message about human connection and human nature.
Most of us are social creatures, seeking interaction one way or the other. It is for many of us, I myself included, a necessity in life. I need that human connection in order to function. The problem is, however, that within these connections always lies the chance of being hurt, disappointed or other negative consequences. An as linked as I am to the people around me, so are these negative things linked to positive experiences. They are irrevocably connected and are therefore two sides of the same coin that make me what I am as a husband, father, teacher, human being.
What I find astonishing about this film is that Kaufman's script manages to have its main character experience and discover just that. In life the bad so often goes with the good. THis is essentially a kitchen sink wisdom which, if treated without the respect it deserves, could easily turn into a sappy made for TV film. But not so in the hands of two contemporary masters.
Kaufman does what he does best. Capture an aspect of the human soul in a story that seems grounded in reality but has absurd flashes of brilliance. It is almost as if he wants to say that man's attempts to come to terms with its own nature is an absurd feat in itself, a petty, selfish illusion. He is mild here for his protagonist as he does grant him some resolution in the end, but therein does not lie the true beauty of Kaufman's tale. It lies in the awakening of the protagonist, the opening of his eyes to the beauty of agony that is life and love.
There aren't that many directors that could portray the almost Escherian landscapes that comprise the memories and their subsequent erasing. And what I love about it is that the many visual tricks he pulls serve the story and not the other way round. The memories are a constant flux of images and flashes, never obfuscated and always resonant and important to the story arc.
Kate Winslet is a star and one of the best actresses around. You'd expect her to be good here and she is. This is, however, all about Carrey's performance for me. It is by far his best. It is subtle, introvert and very convincing. Not once ion this film was I watching 'Jim Carey Acting'. I was watching Joel, struggling to make sense of love lost and beauty found in his own murky mind. And it is a gorgeous thing to witness.
If ever you need an artistic exploration of human nature, love, life, connection and regret, look no further. Look here